Nairobi: Parents have been urged to monitor the activities and behavior of their children during the current long school break to prevent them from engaging in social vices, including crime and substance abuse. Presbyterian Church of East African (PCEA) Cleric, Reverend Godfrey Jomo, emphasized the importance of using the festive season to instill good morals in children, highlighting the role of poor parenting and societal decay in the moral decline among youth.
According to Kenya News Agency, Rev. Jomo, who is also a trained counselor, advised parents to foster friendships with their children to encourage open communication. By doing so, parents can better understand the issues affecting their children and provide appropriate guidance or counseling. He stressed the importance of being available and offering guidance to young people, who are often more prone to making dangerous decisions with lasting negative effects.
Rev. Jomo, speaking in Nairobi, urged parents and guardians to discourage excessive partying and sleepovers while being mindful of their children’s associations. He noted the need for tactful discipline, describing today’s youth as both tenacious and fragile. He cautioned against dismissive reactions to threats of self-harm, emphasizing the seriousness of such situations.
He further explained that peer pressure often leads youth to adopt vices such as illicit sex, drug abuse, and crime in their quest for self-identity and belonging. Rev. Jomo noted that the desire to be seen as ‘cool’ or ‘soft’ drives teenagers to engage in risky behaviors as they seek validation from their peers.